Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is a city steeped in history, culture, and literature. Home to famous writers such as Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson, Edinburgh is a paradise for book lovers. The city boasts several fantastic bookshops that offer a wide range of books, from rare first editions to contemporary bestsellers. In this blog post, we'll take a closer look at three of the best bookshops in Edinburgh - Edinburgh Books, Armchair Books, and Topping & Company Booksellers of Edinburgh.
Dubai is a fascinating city, known for its luxurious lifestyle, rich culture, and beautiful landmarks. Located in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. I recently had the opportunity to visit Dubai during my cruise on the MSC World Europa. In this blog post, I'll share my experience and provide some insights for anyone planning a trip to Dubai.
Saudi Arabia is a country that has been known for its oil reserves and conservative values, but it is also a country that has a rich cultural heritage and a stunning landscape. My recent stop in Saudi Arabia on my cruise with MSC in the Persian Gulf was a pleasant surprise, as I got to experience the beauty of the country, its rich culture, and the warm hospitality of its people.
Doha, the capital city of Qatar, is a fascinating blend of modernity and tradition. During our cruise on the MSC World Europa in the Persian Gulf, we had the opportunity to stop in Doha for a day and explore the city's many charms. One of the highlights of our visit was the dhow cruise along the coast, which gave us a unique perspective of the city's skyline and coastline.
Cruising is an amazing way to explore the world, and the
MSC World Europa in the Persian Gulf is a dream come true for anyone who loves luxury travel. Recently, I had the opportunity to go on a cruise on this magnificent ship, and it was an experience of a lifetime. One of the highlights of my trip was spending a day in Abu Dhabi, where we visited some of the most iconic landmarks of the city.
If you're someone who loves to travel and explore new places but doesn't want the hassle of planning and organizing a trip, then river cruising might be the perfect vacation option for you. River cruises offer a unique way to see different parts of the world while taking away the stress of planning a traditional city trip. In this article, we will explore some of the benefits of river cruises and specifically focus on the all-inclusive concept offered by
VIVA Cruises.
Are you tired of visiting the same old cities that are always overcrowded with tourists? If so, it's time to start exploring some alternative options! In this post, we will explore four alternative cities that are just as charming and captivating as their overrated counterparts: Lille instead of Paris, Bruges instead of Brussels, Trieste instead of Venice, and Edinburgh instead of London.
Europe is a continent filled with breathtaking landmarks, rich history, and diverse cultures. However, it is also home to some of the world's most notorious tourist traps. While these places may seem like must-see attractions, they are often overcrowded, overpriced, and underwhelming. Here are five tourist traps in Europe that you should be wary of.
Eastern Europe is a treasure trove of history, culture, and natural beauty that remains relatively unexplored by tourists. From the majestic mountains to the charming cities, Eastern Europe offers a unique travel experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Here are just a few reasons why I love Eastern Europe more than Western Europe as a travel destination.
Summer is just around the corner, and it's time to start planning your next vacation. Europe has plenty of beautiful and exciting destinations to offer, and in this blog post, we will explore the top 5 summer holiday destinations for 2023.
If you're a seasoned cruiser looking to take your next vacation to the next level,
Seabourn Cruises may be the perfect choice for you. Seabourn is a luxury cruise line that offers a more intimate, personalized cruising experience with unparalleled service, exquisite cuisine, and exclusive onboard amenities. In this blog post, we'll explore why Seabourn Cruises is worth the extra cost, especially for someone with extensive cruising experience like yourself.
MSC World Europa, the latest addition to
MSC Cruises' fleet, is a magnificent cruise ship that offers a luxurious, all-inclusive experience to its guests. The ship, which made its debut in 2021, set sail on its maiden voyage from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, Doha and Dammam, and has received an overwhelmingly positive response from its passengers.
It's December, Christmas is coming along, and I feel like visiting a Christmas market. But which one to choose? The Christmas markets along the Moselle river are regarded as some of the most cosy and beautiful Christmas markets Germany has to offer. So why not visit a few Christmas markets in one trip and what better way to do that than on a river cruise! I am embarking on the
MS VIVA ONE from
VIVA Cruises for an enchanting river cruise on the Moselle in Germany. Read along to find out what I loved about this particular trip.
Last June, I took a short break from work and went on a trip to Messenia, a region in the southwest of the Greek Peloponnese. It's home to Costa Navarino, a luxury travel destination I had already visited a couple of years ago. I can confirm, after staying at a Costa Navarino hotel for the second time, that Costa Navarino has mastered the craft of relaxed and understated Greek luxury. This is probably why the likes of Ronaldo and NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo like this place so much. If you want to know more about my stay at Costa Navarino, the room and the activities: read on!
Last week I became the proud owner of a brand new OPPO Find X5 Pro, the new flagship phone from the trendy mobile communications company OPPO. As a matter of fact, I wasn’t planning on changing phones at the moment as the smartphone I had was only a few months old. But the opportunity came and it was too good to let it pass. Besides, I heard great things about the built-in camera! And since I was leaving for Mallorca a few days later, I was excited to see how it would perform on my trip there. Did I like using it? and even more, would I dare to take on the challenge of leaving my camera home and shooting pictures only with the OPPO Find X5 Pro?
Santa got me the most amazing gift this year! One cold morning in December, I found a large box underneath the Christmas tree. I didn't question how Santa was able to get it through the chimney, and opened up the box right away. It turned out to be the U32U1, a 31.5 inch 4K-monitor from AOC. I've been using it for my photography work for a while now, so I thought it was time to do a review. Let’s find out why I like this monitor so much.
In October I went to the beautiful island of Tenerife for the very first time. Having only visited Lanzarote before, I already knew the Canary Islands had a lot to offer in terms of impressive landscapes, but Tenerife still surprised me – in a good way of course! It offers a remarkable mix of beaches, forests and rugged volcano landscapes. Here’s why I think my Tenerife itinerary is ideal for first-time visitors!
For some people, Tenerife is the perfect island to spend a couple of weeks in an all-inclusive luxury hotel, or even to relocate for the winter, to soak up some sun. But if you’re on the sporty side of the spectrum like me, a holiday in one of those all-in resorts would lack a bit of adventure. However, no need to worry! Quite the contrary, the Canary island of Tenerife is one of the most beautiful destinations for activity holidays. Here’s my top 3. Your next adventure starts in Tenerife!
In July I found myself in the beautiful city of Ghent. Now I hear you say: how’s that a trip for you? You literally live in Belgium! Well that’s correct, and I’ve actually been to Ghent many times before. But because I went there with photography in mind and stayed a few days, it truly felt like a refreshing getaway. I stayed at The Librarian, one of the 5 Heirloom Hotels in the heart of Ghent. Let me tell you all about it.
As I’m writing this, travel remains a thing of the past, unless you’re willing to quarantine or take a nasty test of course. However I’m very confident that in the near future, we’ll all be exploring again. Oh how I long to do a trip that’s entirely COVID-proof. And what better trip than go on a hiking trip to Iceland!
Who would have said last year that we wouldn’t be able to travel due to a global pandemic, would have been the laughing stock of the town. However in 2020 this horror scenario turned into reality and with intercontinental travel nearly impossible, we had to change our way of travel. Luckily for us Belgians and Europeans, there’s one truly magnificent country nearby that’s easily reachable and has so much to offer:
Italy! Italy offers endless and amazing opportunities for those seeking a vacation dedicated to sports and physical activity - for those who want to be in close contact with nature both summer and winter, surrounded by breathtaking sceneries and unique landscapes. From winter sports in the Dolomites, to having fun on the waters of Lake Como, there’s plenty of options in Italy for everybody.
One of the world’s most far flung destinations nestled in the Indian Ocean is the Seychelles, home to natural wonders and marvelous UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean famously known as a home to numerous beaches and hidden coves, coral reefs and nature reserves. The warmest time of year is generally April, with a few drops of rain likely between December and February, although it never stays long.
When one thinks of the Dolomites and the area of South Tyrol, one immediately thinks of an adventure-packed holiday with the focus on hiking and spending time amidst nature. Images of camping come to mind. But what if I told you that it is perfectly possible can stay in the comfort of a modern hotel, and still have lots of time to enjoy the nature around you? Let's have a look at some of the finest hotels in South Tyrol. Each and every one offer stunning views, while hiking trails and natural attractions are never far off.
When thinking of UAE, the association with luxury immediately comes to mind. We all have images in our head of palm islands in Dubai or downtown Abu Dhabi. After all, the rest of the country is mostly desert, right? Well, in that desert lie some of the world's most exclusive resorts. The neighboring country Oman is also opening up for tourists and is gaining in popularity over the recent years. So why not consider going there as well? The two countries can easily be combined as well. You can stay a few days in the UAE and head to Oman for the second part of your journey. Along with my top choices in the UAE, I picked two resorts in Oman of which I think they would give you memories you'll never forget. Read along to find out which desert resort in the UAE and Oman are among the world's best.
After years of instability, Jordan is wooing tourists back in their droves. The Middle Eastern country hoped to welcome 7 million a year in 2020, until the Covid-19 crisis happened of course. Jordan offers some of the most spectacular scenery of the Middle Eastern region, it's safe travel there and the people are friendly. The history of the country goes back thousands of years and some of the world's most amazing UNESCO Heritage Sites are located here. But where do you stay?To make your visit to this marvelous country truly unforgettable, read along to find out which are the most unique hotels in Jordan.
South Africa is usually named in one breath with the word Safari. But when you do a safari, you want to do it the right way! A lot of people are saving up to do a safari and most of us will only experience this once in their lifetime. That’s why I definitely recommend to spend some extra cash on a luxury retreat in a private game reserve so you have the best safari experience you can imagine. During my recent stay in South Africa I had the amazing honor to stay at Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge. Let’s have a look at why this lodge might be one of the best in the country!
The Panorama Route is one of the most famous roads in South Africa. With views for days and impressive waterfalls, it’s not rocket science why they call this the Panorama Route. When you’re in the area, you should absolutely visit some viewpoints along this route. It can easily be combined with a safari experience at the nearby Kruger National Park. In case you’re on a tight schedule as I was, it’s good to know that the route can be done in one day, but I recommend you to start early in the morning. All viewpoints are already open at 7 AM and the sun is already high up in the sky by that time.
Morocco and more specifically Marrakech is a popular holiday destination and this also shows on Instagram. And let's be honest, we all want to show off the beauty on Instagram. I mean I can't blame you, there's something very rewarding about making a beautiful picture. Some of the Riads in Marrakech are so beautiful on their own, you don't have to put much effort in trying to take a great picture there. Read along to find out which are in my opinion the 9 most instagrammable riads in Marrakech!
Every year, millions of tourist visit Crete for holiday. Crete is an amazing island and I would recommend anyone to go there. Believe me, if you've been there once, you would want to go back! But there's an infinite amount of hotels to choose from, which makes it hard to make the right decision. If you're like me, you want everything to be perfect during your holiday. Maybe you've been saving up all year for it so it would be a shame if the hotel of your choice was not quite up to standard. Or perhaps you're looking for that perfect resort to spend your honeymoon? Look no further, Crete is the place to be. Let me list 8 of the most luxurious hotels in Crete for you. Some of these resorts rank among the most exclusive hotel properties in the world.
Only the best is good enough for the wealthy traveler. The most discerning travelers among us are in search of the most exquisite hotels and resorts. And what better place to search at, than at the stunning Italian Amalfi Coast? A place that oozes classic luxury and comfort. Behind the colorful facades, you’ll find some of the most luxurious hotels the region has to offer. Read along to find out which are in my opinion the 5 best luxury hotels along the Amalfi Coast!
The Alps and its outliers, whether it's in Switzerland, Austria, France or Italy, are a beautiful region to go on holiday. The region is known for both camping and skiing. But when you're a discerning traveler and you're in need of a bit more privacy and luxury, choosing a hotel might be a tad more difficult. I give you my list of the 8 best luxury hotels in the Alps.
Why would you go to Lapland in the middle of winter, a pitch-black freezing place in the middle of nowhere? Well, for one good reason: to see the northern lights. Nowadays, visitors can experience the marvelous northern lights from the comfort of luxury cabins. Best time to visit with the highest chance of seeing nature’s finest spectacle is anywhere between November and March. Read along to find my top picks of the Best northern lights hotels and finest aurora resorts in Lapland.
Bij het plannen van je reis vermijd je ongetwijfeld liefst de administratieve rompslomp om een visum aan te vragen. Veel reizigers vinden het aanvragen van een visum een moeilijke oefening. En als je dit aan een reisbureau overlaat moet je hen alle informatie verschaffen, met het risico op fouten. Hoe weet je of je een visum nodig hebt voor een bepaald land? Is er een verschil als je op vakantie gaat of voor zaken naar het buitenland moet? Zijn er bepaalde voorwaarden of beperkingen in tijd? Dit alles kom je te weten op VisumBuitenland.be.
Het is december en 2019 was ongetwijfeld ook voor jou een druk jaar. Stiekem droom je weg om er nog eens een paar dagen tussenuit te zijn. Snak je ook naar een welverdiende vakantie in de wintermaanden? Of kijk jij er alweer naar uit om er met de ganse familie tijdens de zomer op uit te trekken? Dan vind je bij Natuurhuisje vast en zeker een leuke accommodatie!
In early November I had the chance to embark on the MSC Grandiosa, the newest cruise ship ofthe highly popular European cruise line MSC Cruises. This brand new cruise ship is currently the flagship of the entire MSC fleet. There’s absolutely no bigger or better cruise ship in the line-up. Moreover, the MSC Grandiosa is currently the sixth-largest cruise ship in the world and has a few amazing features that might blow some of the competition away. Read my review to find out if this magnificent cruise ship really lives up to her name!
The island of La Réunion (Île de la Réunion in French) is becoming increasingly more popular to visit. Ile de la Réunion is an overseas department and region of French. Familiar road signs, speaking French, free data roaming and paying in Euro, hurray! The island is mostly visited by French people, but partly due to the effect that Instagram has on tourism, this is rapidly changing. Only a handful of Instagram influencers have been to La Réunion so far and I was happy to be one of the first. Now I’m sharing my experiences to make your trip in La Réunion even more awesome. Having explored every corner of the island, I present you the 13 most instagrammable places in La Réunion! Today in part 3: the best viewpoints of the island!
The island of La Réunion (Île de la Réunion in French) is becoming increasingly more popular to visit. Ile de la Réunion is an overseas department and region of France. Familiar road signs, speaking French, free data roaming and paying in Euro, hurray! The island is mostly visited by French people, but partly due to the effect that Instagram has on tourism, this is rapidly changing. Only a handful of Instagram influencers have been to La Réunion so far and I was happy to be one of the first. Now I’m sharing my experiences to make your trip in La Réunion even more awesome. Having explored every corner of the island, I present you the 13 most instagrammable places in La Réunion! Previously in part 1 I spoke about the volcanic wonders. Today in part 2: the most beautiful waterfalls of the island!
The island of La Réunion (Île de la Réunion in French) is becoming increasingly more popular to visit. Ile de la Réunion is an overseas department and region of France. Familiar road signs, speaking French, free data roaming and paying in Euro, hurray! The island is mostly visited by French people, but partly due to the effect that Instagram has on tourism, this is rapidly changing. Only a handful of Instagram influencers have been to La Réunion so far and I was happy to be one of the first. Now I'm sharing my experiences to make your trip in La Réunion even more awesome. Having explored every corner of the island, I present you the 13 most instagrammable places in La Réunion! Today in part 1: everything that has do to with the volcanic activity on the island!
For my second leg of my trip in Ile de la Réunion, I was looking for a hotel on the west side of the island. Most hotels are located in this part of the island, so it is the most vibrant area with a lot of stuff to do. I stayed in the brand new Ness by D-Ocean. Let’s discover how I liked my stay.
In June I went on holiday to La Réunion, and because I wanted to see the entire island, I needed a place to stay in the south of the island. This way, I could use that hotel as a starting point to explore the entire southern part of La Réunion! I found my paradise within paradise at Villa Delisle in Saint-Pierre, the largest town in the southern part of La Réunion. I must say I really enjoyed this intimate hotel with modern facilities and Creole interiors. Read along to find out why.
As you might have seen on my Instagram, I spent a couple of days in Gozo, Malta’s second largest island. Gozo is a popular day trip destination to escape the busy atmosphere of the Malta’s main island. There’s only one way of getting there: taking the ferry. Whether you’re going for a day trip or stay for a couple of days like me, here’s all you need to know about the ferry to Gozo island.
Last may I got to spend a few days in Gozo. I skipped Malta for the most part and headed straight to Gozo. Most people only go to Gozo for a day trip, as it’s only a short ferry transfer away. I spent four days in Gozo but could have easily stayed a couple days more without feeling bored. Heck, dare I say I would stay in Gozo and do a day trip to Malta instead of the other way around? Continue reading to see which are my favorite free attractions and things to see in Gozo.
Gozo is Malta's second largest island, and it's a lot quieter than in Malta. In my previous blog posts I explained how to get there, and what beautiful natural attractions the island has to offer. Although it is a lot more quiet on Gozo than in Malta, there is so much to do and see that you can easily spend a week here! Most people only go on a day trip but I strongly recommend you to stay for a longer period. You won't regret it. And for those who prefer a more active holiday, I present you five cool acitivities to do in Gozo.
Last month I checked another Polish city off my list. Having been almost everywhere in Poland, from Wroclaw to Lublin and many more, this vast country doesn’t have many secrets for me anymore. However there was one area that was still a blank spot on my map: Pomerania and its capital Gdansk. As it turns out, Gdansk is actually part of a larger metropolitan area consisting of three cities: Gdansk, Sopot and Gdynia. This means there’s three times as much to do than I initially expected! Read along to learn more about this interesting Polish region.
Last month I found myself on a trip in the beautiful Dominican Republic. I had been to the Caribbean many times over the last couple of years. However somehow, I had always skipped the Dominican Republic. Honestly? I thought it was going to be too touristy for me. I didn’t want to sit in an all-inclusive resort for 14 days not to see anything of the country. But when the tourism board of the Dominican Republic invited me over, I thought I gave it a try. Spoiler alert: it did not disappoint!
Last week I checked yet another thing off my bucket list: being the captain of my own boat for a few days. And the best thing was, I drove it myself and I didn’t need a permit for it! Me and a few others teamed up with Nicols, a company that is providing boating holidays for which you don’t need a license. They’re quite active in France, Germany and Portugal, but since April 2019 you can now rent their boats in Kerkdriel, the Netherlands. And that’s exactly what a group of friends and I did. Read along to find out why renting a boat from Nicols in the Netherlands was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever done!
When I was invited again to visit South Tyrol for the second time, I was beyond stoked.
Last summer, I visited Italy’s northernmost province for the first time and it turned out to be
one of the best trips I did that year. This time, in March, I was going to experience what it looked like during winter.
So I hopped on a plane from Brussels to Venice, suitcase packed with winter clothes and ski attire. Eindhoven to Innsbruck is an option too. You could then rent a car to cross the border, but we opted for Venice. During the 3 hour drive to South Tyrol, you can see the surroundings change from Mediterranean landscapes into Alpine peaks, a real joy to experience along the way.
Ireland. I’ve always wanted to experience for myself what life is like over there. Ever since I saw pictures as a kid I’ve been dreaming of driving along the Wild Atlantic Way when I grew up. Well, I’ve been grown up for quite a while now, but for some reason I never managed to make it to Ireland. But in February, I finally made it happen! I drove the Wild Atlantic Way in the northwest of Ireland, al the way from Downpatrick Head to the Great Pollet Sea Arch.
In February, I spent a couple of days in Ireland. I drove along the Wild Atlantic Way all the way from Downpatrick Head in County Mayo to the Great Pollet Sea Arch in Donegal County. It is a The Sea Arch was the real highlight of my trip, but there are a lot of rumours that it has become inaccessible. But has it really? Let’s have a look at how to access the Great Pollet Sea Arch.
In my previous article you could read all about the
best César Manrique attractions in Lanzarote, but the beautiful island has so much more to offer. I was there for a week and didn't feel bored for one second! Maybe you aren't a big fan of art and museums? Maybe you prefer the outside? Lots of people visit Lanzarote to exercise running, cycling... But even if you're not a sporty person yourself, there are a high number of awesome nature-oriented things to do in Lanzarote. Let's have a look at my favourites.
When visiting Lanzarote, you can’t ignore the name César Manrique. Manrique was a Spanish artist and local hero who lived in Lanzarote. Decades ago, Manrique saw the rise of visitors an the potential the island had for tourism. But he wanted to avoid mass tourism and high-rise buildings. Manrique had a major influence on the planning regulations in Lanzarote. Most major attractions on the island are either designed by him or are a tribute to him so the name Manrique is all over the place! Let’s have a look what are the top Cesar Manrique attractions in Lanzarote.
Set up your tripod, choose your camera settings and press the shutter. Click! Your image is made. Doesn’t seem so hard, does it? Oh how I wish it were that simple. There’s more to making a great picture than that. Apart from editing afterwards, searching for locations takes up the most time in this whole exercise! People often ask about finding locations to shoot, they contact me on
my Instagram asking the whereabouts of particular place and how I have found it. The best way by far is to strap on your boots and go for a walk.
If you’ve been to Lanzarote and have stood on the Famara cliffs, or you’ve admired the views from
Mirador del Rio, you’ve probably wondered about that tiny mysterious island on the other side of the water. It is the island of La Graciosa, and it’s a true jewel of the Atlantic. But how do you get there? And is it even worth going? Here’s everything you need to know about visiting La Graciosa.
During my trip in Lanzarote I stayed in Villa Delmas, a beautiful countryhouse in Haria. The property is very centrally located in this tranquil little town. Villa Delmas that was built over 300 years ago by Ambrosio Perdomo and still remained in the Perdomo family until now, after 7 generations! Villa Delmas is the first Casa Emblematica in Lanzarote. It is considered a monument for its architecture, gardens and for the personalities who lived in it. It was the famous artist César Manrique who designed the pool and garden area! Basically if you want to see a work of Manrique, you don’t even have to leave the house: Bonus points for Villa Delmas!
On Instagram, you’ll be seeing lots of similar images you would then perceive as ‘iconic’. Which begs the question: should you go out and shoot these awesome places yourself? Or should you just do your own thing? In other words: should you avoid iconic Instagram spots?
Recently I checked off a destination that was one of the highest on my bucket list: Cappadocia in Turkey. I’ve been wanting to go since I saw an image of the cave houses when I was a little kid. So in October, I was there to promote the
Instagram trip (Instagramrondreis in Dutch) for
Corendon. With all the things to do, let's have a look at my top picks on what to visit in Cappadocia.
After having spent a couple of days in Grecotel White Palace, I was eager to try yet another one of Grecotel’s pearls on Crete: Grecotel Amirandes. This modern upscale resort has everything figured out and might just be the best 5-star hotel in Crete.
I’m starting to really love Greece. Before 2018 I had never been there. Can you imagine? Over the last couple of months, I visited Athens, the Peloponnese and Corfu. This time, I flew off to the stunning island of Crete, where I got to spend a few days in
Grecotel White Palace.
Last month I had the pleasure of being back in North Brabant, a southern province of the Netherlands that I'm liking more and more each time I visit. Being a hotel enthusiast,
The Duke Hotel in 's Hertogenbosch was on my list and now I finally had the chance to spend the night there!
The last couple of months have been crazy for me in terms of traveling. So what did I do when I finally came back home? Sleep? Rest? No! I went out to explore some more, but a bit closer to my home in Belgium. I headed to two cities in the Dutch province of North Brabant: Heusden and 's Hertogenbosch, (or often just called Den Bosch).
When I got the chance to visit South Tyrol along with a few other talented photographers, I was beyond stoked. I had seen so many pictures of the region, but never had the chance to get there myself. Until now! South Tyrol is a photographer's dream. There are so many amazing places to photograph in South Tyrol that you actually would need a few trips to see them all. While doing that, you'll most likely discover a few amazing unknown spots yourself! Skip the overly photographed Lago di Braies, and check out my top picks of the best instagrammable places in South Tyrol!
Some of you might have noticed I recently did a trip to Thailand. It was my first travel experience in Asia and it has been an absolutely amazing trip. First I spent
some time in Bangkok before heading to more tranquil provinces like
Phattalung en Khanom. After that, I ended up on the beautiful island called Koh Samui. In Koh Samui I had the chance to stay in one of the most luxurious hotels ever. Read along to find out more!
After I had a very short
city trip in Bangkok, I took a domestic flight south to explore a more authentic and rural Thailand. While most tourists stay in one of the major tourist hubs like Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai or Koh Samui, I was happy to find myself in quieter provinces. I visited Phattalung and Khanom, two tranquil provinces in the south of Thailand and had the most amazing time of my life. Real along to find out how!
Recently I visited Thailand, and what better way to get to know the country than starting in the capital of Bangkok. Bangkok is welcoming the most visitors in the world a year, more than any other country in the world, and that’s not surprising. What’s also not surprising is that 48 hours in this city just weren’t enough. But hey, sometimes you gotta start off slow, right?
During my last trip to Thailand I had the chance to experience some of the country's finest hotels. My travels took me to Bangkok for a short visit, where I stayed in Arun Haveli, and then I took a domestic flight south to the Thai countryside. In Khanom, I resided in Aava Resort & Spa, and in the province of Phattalung I visited Sri Pak Pra Resort. My journey ended in Koh Samui, where I could relax a little bit Each hotel caters towards luxury but is unique on its own. Read along cause your favourite one might be one of my top-5 hotels in Thailand!
Right, you’ve got tons of
water activities you can do in Curaçao, but I’m guessing from time to time you want to stay dry and feel like doing something completely different. And to keep more budget available to spend on those yummy
Blue Curaçao based cocktails, I’m gonna list a couple of my favorite FREE activities to do in Curaçao!
One reason why I love being in the Caribbean is the fact that I love being in/on the water! After having traveled extensively in the Caribbean area, I was preoccupied and thought Curaçao would be more of the same. It turned out to be quite the opposite. The island is surprisingly diverse and there’s tons of stuff to do. You can read this separate article about free stuff to do in Curaçao. But when you find yourself in the Caribbean, you’ll surely look out for some sort of water activity. Let’s have a look what you can do in the wet in Curaçao!
The center of Willemstad is already bloated with colors. There’s no mistake about that, just think of the Handelskade that you’ve probably all seen on pictures. When I was in Curaçao, I signed up for an organized guided tour along the most beautiful murals in Willemstad! Spoiler alert: it’s not only the famous pastel-colored colonial Dutch buildings along the Handelskade in Willemstad that’s colorful!
I was invited to spend a few days in the border region between Germany and Luxemburg called the Eifel. It’s a tranquil area where you can really come at peace and you feel like what’s happening in the rest of the world doesn’t matter anymore. Read along how I kept myself busy during the first days of what would turn out to be a really good European summer!
Let's play a little game, my dear readers. I went on a trip to France recently and you have to guess where! It's a place that has both rich nature and culture and boasts a lovely 25-29 °C weather. Biarritz you say? Or the always charming Cote d'Azur? To once more quote Trump: WRONG! Okay you guys already know I'm going to hype up Corsica because it's in the title. Corsica is an often overlooked French holiday location, which obviously I singlehandedly plan on changing! Where else can you both experience terracotta-colored villages seemingly as old as time itself precariously perched in the side of a breathtaking mountain, remnants of proper ancients civilisations, crisp beaches AND bustling city life? If you're sceptical about how an island the size of a proverbial handkerchief can manage all that, please keep reading. I'll tell you how I squeezed the most out of Corsica in just 3 days.
You guys already know that I’m sort of becoming a Greece connoisseur as of late so you can imagine my enthusiasm when
Grecotel kindly invited me to visit their five star
Corfu Imperial hotel in,
ya guessed it, Corfu! After visiting
NEW Hotel in Athens and
The Romanos Costa Navarino, I’m slowly but surely working my way through Greece and I’m not mad about it. Read on to learn how I spent my time at
Grecotel Corfu Imperial!
Last week, Belgium was the hottest place in Europe, with temperatures reaching 28 degrees Celsius! So instead of traveling, I decided to head towards the seaside and visit Knokke, a posh coastal municipality known as a getaway destination for the rich and famous. A world where residents drive fancy supercars but nonetheless golf carts on public roads aren’t a rare sight either. I stayed at The Bunkers, a
luxury bed-and-breakfast in the middle of the polders and had the most relaxing time of the year so far!
Since April 28,
Brussels Airlines has added a new service to Greece, more precisely to Kalamata with
flights operating once a week on Saturdays. Kalamata is the capital of Messenia in the Southwest of the Greek Peloponnese region. On arrival at the tiniest international airport I’ve ever been to, it was immediately clear that the region is not touristy at all (yet). However, it is a real hidden gem. Although Kalamata has so much to offer, like the Archaeological Museum of Messenia or the Church of the Holy Apostles, I headed west towards
Costa Navarino, a high-end area along the Ionian coast where I was delighted to stay at
The Romanos, a
Luxury Collection Resort.
I checked off a main item on my bucket list: I did a road trip from Belgium to Belarus and back. Getting into Belarus without visa and with my personal car was a difficult procedure but I can gladly say I succeeded! The road trip involved hours of driving through the beautiful countryside of Poland. That's how my journey led me to Lodz, Poland, where I stayed in the superb
Andel's by Vienna House.
The first days of March I spent in Brabant, a southern province of the Netherlands that is dubbed the most welcoming province of the country. I had been there before during
‘Brabant Nacht’, visiting the quiet towns of
Breda and Bergen-op-Zoom. Now this lovely province has been selected as the
European Region of Gastronomy in 2018, so I just had to go back! It’s astounding how much Brabant has to offer in terms of food!
When I was in Iceland
a couple of months ago, I had unfortunately not had the opportunity to stay in
Hotel Budir. The hotel is unbelievable popular, that during summer they have a waiting list that can exceed 200 persons! Therefore I stayed in two other lovely hotels (read about it
here and
here) but part of me was still longing for a stay in the iconic Hotel Budir. I’m glad to tell you I was finally able to check Hotel Budir off my bucket list!
VERO, we’ve all heard about it but is it really the hot new platform you absolutely
need to get on? For the uninitiated (aka everyone who’s been living under a rock for like the last week) VERO is a self-proclaimed TRUE social media platform that’s algorithm free. But is it?
Being a huge fan of off-roading, four-wheeling, overlanding or however you want to call it, it is no doubt that Iceland is a dream destination for me.
Last summer I headed deep into the highlands with a Land Rover Defender. For my second trip to Iceland in winter I wanted to take it a step further so I contacted
SouthCoast Adventure. Read along why this was an incredible experience!
What’s the best way to see Iceland? - In a campervan! - With a 4x4! - Why not both? For my second trip to Iceland in a campervan, I teamed up with
Kuku Campers again and rented their Land Rover Defender campervan. You have to be a little Kuku to rent a campervan and basically sleep in a car during winter! Actually not really, it’s still your best option if you don’t have your trip planned to the max but still want to see as much of the beautiful country as possible!
NEW Hotel is a
hip and trendy boutique hotel right in the center of Athens. I stayed for 3 nights during my first visit to Greece at the end of January. NEW Hotel Athens is the first hotel designed by the famous designer duo Fernando and Humberto Campana. Part of the
Yes! Hotels Group, NEW Hotel tries to create a Young, Enthusiastic and Seductive atmosphere. Read on to discover if it becomes my new all-time favourite hotel!
Finding a couple of awesome places to eat or grab a drink can really make your holiday. In Porto, this is no different. Let's have a look at my favorite affordable bars and restaurants in Porto. I added a '$' to indicate how expensive the place is, but in all honesty, food in Porto is very cheap and utterly delicious!
Normally I’m the type of guy that plans a trip well in advance. You know, I’ll most likely made a map in Google Maps and pinpointed where our hotel is, how to get from the airport to the city center, and where the best viewpoints are. This month I did the exact opposite: I finally stepped out of my comfort zone and went on a surprise trip with
srprs.me.
When you’re arriving in Key West by cruise ship, you know you’ll only have a few hours to spend in Florida’s southernmost point. Therefore you want to make the most out of it. There’s lots of stuff going on vibrant Key West, but the absolute coolest cruise excursion in Key West you can find, is the helicopter tour!
Hotel de la Ville, a superb small luxury hotel in Monza, was my home for a few days in November when I went
exploring Lake Como and Lombardy. Read along to learn why I loved it so much.
Okay, okay, you’ll find lots of articles online with tips on driving in Italy. But most of them just talk about generic stuff like the fact that most cars have a manual transmission and that a GPS is recommended. Of course it’s recommended, Captain Obvious, you’re in a country you don’t know full of winding streets! Let’s be honest here, how do those tips even help you? I’m not gonna fall into that trap so therefore here are my super handy tips for driving in Italy!
Lake Como is on the bucketlist of many, and after visiting the beautiful region myself in November, I can really see why George Clooney comes so often to his lakeside Villa Oleandra. But Lake Como is large, and the roads are narrow so travel around the lake is slow-paced. Therefore it’s best to know which villages are worth a stop and which aren’t. Let’s see what are the best villages around Lake Como.
Last weekend I visited the beautiful coastal town of
Oostende in Belgium. I opted to stay in
Hotel ’t Botteltje ***, a hotel close to the beach that entirely revolves around beer!
I spent last weekend in Oostende, a city along the Belgian Coast that was once the home of James Ensor and Marvin Gaye. My first thought was that the Belgian coast wasn’t really the place to go to during winter. But the city has more than enough to offer in low season to experience a pleasant weekend during Winter in Oostende. If you book a stay now, you’ll receive a gift worth 95 euros!
I recently got to stay
a few days on Ameland, one of the Dutch Wadden Islands. During my time there, I stayed in
Hotel Nobel. Hotel Nobel is located right in the centre of the tiny little town of Ballum.
Recently I got to visit the Dutch Wadden Islands. Ah yes, these exotic islands are known for their white sandy beaches, colorful houses and beautiful Caribbean women. Right? Not quite, but here’s why they’re still worth the visit!
Joining a cycle gang, going to a nightly rave to create light art, cycling in weird industrial areas only to pull up at a giant inflated refugee and wake up the next morning in a cute little historical city. Although it does sound like the plot of Hangover 4, it’s actually just a recollection of how I spent a weekend in Brabant!
UPDATE 9/9! Every cruiseline with ships in the Caribbean area is closely monitoring Hurricane Irma's path. At the time of writing, Hurricane Irma has passed over Antigua and Barbuda, Sint Maarten, BVI, USVI, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. It is said that Irma will head north to pose threats to Florida and the Florida Keys. Here's an overview of which cruises are affected by Hurricane Irma. Meanwhile Hurricane Jose is nearing a Category 5 status and is followings a similar path, threatening islands already ravaged by Irma. Here's an overview of which cruises are affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose:
When planning your trip to Iceland, you have probably been inspired by pictures on
Instagram by one of those bloggers (I'm
one of them) and have been overwhelmed with the amount of cool stuff there is to see in Iceland. And now you've stumbled upon this page. Great, yet another guy with an opinion on Iceland! Don't close this page just yet, I've tried to add a bit of information here and there that I hadn't seen anywhere else on the web. I also tell you the minimum amount of time you should ideally spend at each location. Let's take a look at which natural attractions in South Iceland are an absolute must-see.
In my humble opinion, the gorgeous Snaefellsnes peninsula can and may not be skipped during a
visit to Iceland. If you just want to explore the highlights, it only adds a day to your journey. So here's my recommendations of things to see on a one day trip to Snaefellsnes, plus the minimum amount of time you should spend on each location.
Read part 1 of '
10 hidden gems in Iceland' here. We continue our quest to find the best hidden gems in Iceland. We've already seen Hjörleifshöfði, Landbrotalaug, Bruarfoss, Kaldidalsvegur and the Thakgil hiking region, but there are a few more off-the-beaten-path locations that are a must on anyone's trip in Iceland! Here is our top 5:
Read part 2 of ‘
10 hidden gems in Iceland’ here. With Iceland becoming an increasingly popular destination, it's getting harder and harder to escape the tourists and see what others don't. Yes, you'll probably end up in all the Insta-famous locations like the black sand beach anyway (I went there too), but with this post I want to encourage you to explore some of the more off-the-beaten-track locations in an off-the-beaten-track destination. And you can take off-the-beaten-track quite literally in Iceland! Here's my top-10 hidden gems:
As you guys might have seen on
my Instagram stories (follow me
here!), my trip to Iceland was part of a stopover on my way to the Pacific Northwest.
Icelandair offers the option to have a stopover in Iceland up to 7 days, without having to pay extra for your flight. So basically I only paid for a return flight Brussels-Portland but had 2 trips in 1! On my flight towards the United States, I had the opportunity to experience Saga Class, which is Icelandair's take on Business Class. Allow me to tell you a bit more about it!
The most famous Icelandic myth is the one about elves, the hidden people or huldufólk that live in big rocks. Some say that many Icelanders still believe in huldufólk, to such extent that road works or building projects are sometimes altered to keep the hidden people happy. So this first myth of course is long debunked, but what other myths or misconceptions exist about Iceland?
When I was in Iceland I decided to
rent a drone, a DJI Mavic Pro to be more precise. Is this something I would recommend? To most people: yes! It turned out to be a great experience. Read on to learn why.
Have you always wanted to experience Business Class? We all hope to be magically upgraded when there are seats available just because we're friendly at the gate, but this only happens in your dreams. That doesn't mean business class is only for the happy few! Business Class does not have to cost you thousands of dollars and it's more easily accessible than you might think. Icelandair has a service called Class Up.
During my first trip to Iceland, I wanted to see the highlights, but I also wanted to get away from everything and explore some more remote locations. My offroad experience was limited to Belgian tracks, and that is by no means comparable to what you'll come across in Iceland. So what better vehicle than a Land Rover Defender? I rented mine from
Kuku Campers.
When I visited Oregon, I wanted to see all of it, not just the coastline. So my travels led me east, towards Dufur. Who would have thought! Okay, I know what you guys are thinking: "Ben, where the hell is Dufur? And why would you even get a hotel there?" And I would say: why the hell not? I slept at
Balch Hotel.
If after reading
this post you're still in total dispair about what hotel to pick in Portland, fear not my friends as I present you the
Jupiter Hotel. This hotel gives off major 'motel-meets-modern' vibes and I'm into it.
After my Icelandic stopover, a
pleasant business class flight took me to Oregon. After picking up our rental car, I headed out to downtown Portland, where I stayed in
The Society Hotel.
At the end of a rewarding road trip that led me to West and South Iceland and all the way into the highlands, I spent my last night in Iceland in
Hotel Husafell. Hotel Husafell might be the exact opposite of Hotel Ranga I visited
earlier: this hotel definitely relishes in the somewhat typical minimalistic scandi-style with lots of pale wood, white walls and slight grey accents. Although you could say this style isn't exactly groundbreaking, I do find it to be very calming. Just something a - by now - very tired roadtripper might have special appreciation for.
Look, I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you guys; when you first arrive at
Hotel Ranga you're going to be overwhelmed... and also slightly puzzled by the interior. If you, like me, have been traveling inside Europe a lot of you probably got used to a certain minimalist aesthetic that's super trendy in boutique hotels and interiors right now. Four star Hotel Ranga is... quite the opposite of minimal: lots of wood, art, a chandelier made of antlers, oh and taxidermy of a giant attacking polar bear to make you feel cozy in the hotel lobby.
In a Swedish forest just an hour driving from Luleå lies Treehotel,
the creation of Kent and Britta Lindvall. Treehotel features 7 unique tree cabins promising an experience out of this world. Check-in happens at
Britta's Pensionat, a cozy guesthouse with 50's interior. Britta made me feel welcome straight away and I wouldn't have minded staying in one of the rooms of the guesthouse, but that's not why I came for. Deep in the forest lies one of Europe's most jaw-dropping places to stay: Treehotel.
If you google ‘things to do in Stockholm’, you’ll get a bunch of lists with the most visited museums/attractions in the city. Obivously, the
website where you can buy a Stockholm Pass also has such a list. Since Stockholm has somewhat become my second home, I thought I’d share my two cents on which Top 10 attractions are worth it:
As you might have read in
my previous post, I was back in Stockholm for a couple of days during the Easter weekend. We tried out the
top 10 attractions, threw a
bomb in our bath and stayed in the Stockholm's nicest boutique hotel: Miss Clara Hotel!
Stockholm. The capital of Scandinavia. That’s what they call themselves, probably to the annoyance of people from Copenhagen, Oslo or Helsinki, I guess. But Stockholm really lives up to its name. The city is stunning and if you haven’t been there, I advise you to start making plans right away!
During the Easter weekend, I was in Stockholm for a few days. It was great to be back, I've been there a couple of times but hadn't been able to return since the summer of 2015! Although the weather had been nice the days before, winter suddenly decide to come back for the Easter weekend. So that meant after a long day of walking around in the freezing city, we were craving for a nice hot bath. We decided to add a little extra to it. The bathroom of our deluxe room in
Miss Clara Hotel was just the perfect setting to try one of the Lush Bath
Bomb from
Lush Fresh Handmade Cosmetics!
Last week I embarked on a cruise to Western Caribbean cruise on Holland America’s Oosterdam along with my dad. Arriving the day before from Europe, we needed a one-night stay in a hotel in Tampa. A lot of popular pre-cruise hotels are located in the Rocky Point Area west of the airport, but we opted for Le Méridien , a hotel in downtown Tampa, so we could do some exploring of the nearby surroundings and go for a walk to the historic Ybor City.
During our last visit to Prague my girlfriend and I stayed at the Boscolo hotel. Boscolo is a small Italian 5-star hotel chain, with hotels in Prague, Budapest, Nice, Rome, Venice and Milan. Having previously resided in Boscolo Exedra Nice and Boscolo Budapest, I had no doubt the hotel in Prague would be of the same superb quality.
Boscolo sure knows how to pick their hotels! As their hotel in Prague, Boscolo Budapest is located in an Italian Renaissance-style palace. The building from 1894 offers cozy but highly luxurious rooms for a pampered stay in Hungary's romantic capital. The building is also home to the famous New York Café, which in itself is one of the must-see attractions Budapest has to offer!
Always wanted to do that Eurotrip? Just go for it! Good. That was easy! So now that you’ve decided to embark on this awesome adventure, don’t just book a plane ticket to your favorite city and rent a car. Maybe don’t rent a car at all! There are actually a few things I want to tell you about how to travel in Europe that might make your road trip a bit more enjoyable.
Mmmm, Let’s talk food, shall we?
My morning routine: wake up, head straight to Emmerys. Really, Emmerys, on the corner of Klostergade and Guldsmedgade, is a great place to start your morning. You can order breakfast to go, or sit back and enjoy the quiet morning with a cup of coffee. They really focus on organic, healthy and ecological food and drinks, like beet juice. If there weren't so many cool things to see around Aarhus, you could spend your whole morning there. I saw lots of people reaching for their portable and using the cozy bakery as a workplace.
When I was in Denmark I spent a few days in Aarhus. Denmark has a total population of only 5,700,000 and a fair amount of them live in or near Copenhagen. The rest of the country is rather scarcely populated, especially compared to Belgium where I’m from. So with 330,000 inhabitants of which 264,000 live in the inner city center, Aarhus is Denmark’s second largest city. Aarhus is also the European Capital of Culture 2017, so if you want to go, now you have the perfect excuse!
A couple of weeks ago I made an impulsive fly & drive trip to Denmark, home to several famous furniture designers. After been in Norway and Sweden numerous times, I must shamefully admit I’d never set foot in Denmark. Ever!
So it's been a while since I'm back from Prague but boy do I miss it! If you're a fellow European this lovely city is the perfect place for a city trip (we even spent the whole week there and could easily stay longer!). For non-Europeans, Prague is ideal to get a taste of the great atmosphere and architecture Europe has to offer. I've been seeing a lot of Americans that are doing a European holiday and apart from the obvious choices (Paris, London, Rome) some of them dare to add Prague to their journey. I have yet to see a disappointed tourist in Prague!
During our trip to Prague, we made some time to head away from the busy city and visited the Zoo! It's located outside the city centre and although you can get there by bus or even by boat plus a short walk after that, I recommend taking a taxi like we did. From our Boscolo hotel in Praha 1 - the city centre - it was about 450 CZK and you're being dropped of right at the very entrance. Our taxi driver gave us his phone number so we didn't have to go through the hassle of finding a cab to get back (I didn't spot a designated taxi stop at first sight there).
Last week, me and my girlfriend visited Prague. We'd both been there as kids but didn't remember much and we sure weren't interested in culture back then. So we went back! During our first full day in this lovely city, we did the Prague Discovery Tour organized by Prague Urban Adventures. Our tour guide Pete waited for us at 9 in the morning at the Municipal House. With a small group of around 10 people, we went for a walk in the city. On our first stop, Wenceslas square, which we reached through a hidden pedestrian gallery, we learned more about the history of Prague, like the Prague Spring in 1968 or the Velvet Revolution!
Last week I had the honor of visiting two very impressive venues right in the heart of Brussels: Concert Noble and Bibliothèque Solvay. The venues are owned by Edificio, specialized in hosting exclusive events. Edificio provides a complete package, which means they assist you with all the organisational aspects of your event, e.g. providing audio-visual equipment, musicians, custom decorations...
Apart from the iconic Palace of Culture and Science, there was another attraction I particularly enjoyed in Warsaw and it's the Fryderyck Chopin Museum. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, I think it's a must see for anyone a bit interested in culture or classical music.
Fryderyck Chopin is one of Poland's most famous people. He was a music composer and pianist from the 19th century. I'm not gonna give you a boring lecture about his life or work, the museum can teach you much better, and less boring!
You hear a lot about how flying is so expensive and how even the most well-known airlines are making losses. They try to come up with new ideas like creating their own budget airline, like Lufthansa's Eurowings, or United's TED (which no longer exists), but they don't seem to succeed in making profit. While many major airlines are struggling, it seems budget airlines like Ryanair, EasyJet, or Wizzair are thriving. But how do budget airlines manage to survive then?
Before my trip to Warsaw, I said to myself there's one building I really want to see during my short stay there and it's the famous Palace of Culture and Science.
During my recent trip to Warsaw, I had the pleasure of staying at the Intercontinental. When I arrived, the selection of fancy cars at the hotel entrance couldn't be missed, so things looked promising. Good to know those guys chose the same 5 star hotel to spend their nights in as I did.
If you're ever in Mexico, chances are you're going to do an activity that involves Mayan culture. Eastern Mexico has some extraordinary archeological sites, of which the best known and most beautiful are those in Tulum, Cobá (Quintana Roo) and Chichén Itzá (Yucatan).
I went to visit the Mayan ruins in Tulum, Quintana Roo, which was available as a cruise excursion on the Celebrity Silhouette. Almost every cruise line that docks in Cozumel offers this, and even if you're staying in a resort there, I'm sure the hotel can set you up for an excursion.
The trip started with a ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen. I'm used to rough seas, but still managed to get seasick! As did all the other passengers. What a ride! Maybe it had something to do with the boat being a catamaran, I don't know. Anyway, after that all went super great! In Playa del Carmen we were up for a bus ride and a mandatory stop at one of the shops along the road. I can't believe someone acutally buys something there. Since this was the first time in Mexico for me, I found it to be very interesting to see how that part of the country looked like. Lots of abandoned buildings on the right hand side of the road, luxurious resorts on the left side. And absolutely nothing to do in the environment. It clearly is intended for the resort guest to not leave the area if you're not going on an excursion. A bit later we arrived at the archeological site. Lots of colorful wild birds there, and iguanas running wild! It's actually quite a big area there and the ruins were in good condition. You get a really good impression of how life would have been in Tulum, which served as a main port for Cobá. Main attractions are the Great Palace, and the Castillo, right on a cliff by the seaside!
If you plan on going to Tulum, don't forget your swimwear. There's a beautiful, intimate beach on site, which wasn't very busy at the time I visited.
If you ever find yourself in the area, I highly recommend going to Tulum!
In a few months I'm going back to visit Chichén Itzá. For those who went there, feel free to share your thoughts below!
In October 2015, I did a cruise on the Mediterranean sea aboard the Norwegian Epic. During September and October, the Epic underwent a massive refurbishment to get the 2010 ship back in mint condition. There were also a few new shows added to the line-up, such as Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, and Burn the Floor.
Last weekend I went to visit an outdoor art exhibition called The Crystal Ship. Place to be was the coastal city of Ostend, Belgium.
The concept was that international and national artists create gigantic murals and art installations, spread all over the city. The art festival featured artists like Jaz, Roa and Isaac Cordal. Belgian's national radio Studio Brussel created a lot of buzz for this event, so quite some people showed up, although I'm guessing the first sun rays of the year had something to do with that too.
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While it's an absolutely great idea, the organization lacked experience. Although a small plan was available to take with you along your walk and the murals were numbered, things could have been a bit more planned. For instance murals 7, 14 and 19 were next to each other. Moreover the map failed to provide a recommended route. Some were also way too far from the city centre if you were on foot, as was the case for most people.
[gallery ids="384,375,376" type="rectangular"]
We ended up seeing only a few murals and spent the rest of the day soaking up the sun on the beach. On the bright side, even the two-week arts festival is over, the murals will remain visible for 2 more years, until the next edition where they plan to add several more!
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So you're planning a road trip & wondering if it's your thing ay? A couple of months ago I did a 2 week roadtrip through Sweden and Norway so you've come to the right place for tips & tricks. But first, let's start with the advantages of going on a road trip shall we:
- You determine where you go & how much time you spend. You're not restricted to a certain area, cause after all, you've got your car with you! Wanna go see some obscure Stavkirke in Norway? Go for it. Wanna plan an entire day for shopping? Knock yourself out. You really get to choose what you do & that to me is a great advantage.
- Get to know your fellow roadtrippers better. Spending a lot of time on the road is a great way to really intensify your bond with whoever you're going with.
- Driving across the landscape and through small towns gives you a unique perspective. You can cruise around in your car & truly experience the little nooks & crannies of the country you're visiting.
Now lets get to the planning part. I know this might seem tedious but a good planning really does make all the difference:
- Buy a map of your destination. You're GPS is a shady bitch, don't trust her. Roads are always changing so it happened numerous times to us that had we followed the GPS instructions to turn left, we would have ended up smack dab in the middle of permafrost. Don't land in the permafrost, it ain't as frosty as you think. A map also allows you to be a bit more flexible if some road is busted open for some obscure road works. We would highly recommend following that country road, it leads to amazing scenery & interesting little villages.
- Make a rough plan of what you want to visit. Freedom is great, but endless dwelling without really knowing where you going not so much. Find the things you really want to see and try to plan your trip around that.
- Airbnb is your bae. If you're anything like us (meaning poor-ish) you're looking to stick to your budget. Airbnb is a great way to do that. You also have the benefit of being able to stay in very remote areas & you also meet the most interesting people. Perhaps they have some time off and can come along to show you a hidden treasure of their country, of maybe they take you out for dinner with a few of their friends!
- Be realistic about how much time you're going to spend in your car. Don't plan more than 6 hours of driving a day. More than that will take a toll & that would seriously diminish your traveling pleasure. It would also be helpful if the people you're traveling with can also drive, that way you can rotate & cover more distance.
- Super practical tip: get your insurance in order before you leave. Your car insurance should normally be fine, but if you're traveling in Europe it might be interesting to look into the European health insurance card. Aside from that it might be a good idea to write down a few numbers you can call in case of emergency.
So here goes. I'm sure there are lots of other tips I can't come up with right now. What would you recommend before going on a road trip?
If you're planning to book a flight with Ryanair, Vueling or EasyJet, think twice!
And I don't mean you should avoid those airlines, on the contrary! If you're considering flying cheap, you're goddamn right. But when's the best time to book flights with low-cost airlines? A number of factors make the prices fluctuate a lot, more than is the case with conventional airlines.
Use Airhint to find out when's the best time. Just give in the date and destination on their website and it tells you if now's a good time to buy, or if maybe you should wait a few days. It also says how confident the website is in its prediction.
In the example below, I did a quick search for a flight from Budapest to Brussels Charleroi on June 24. As you can see there's a good chance the price will drop somewhere between now and June, as the price they are offering now is the maximum price.
This helpful tool lets you check the outbound flight and return flight separately. In fact, for the return flight of your trip, today might be the best time to book, while for the outbound flight, it's advised to wait. There's no problem in booking flights separately since low-cost airlines don't charge extra for one-way tickets.
Airhint helps you be the ultimate cheapskate! Happy traveling!
Travel is never free, but it can be incredibly cheap! Here are a few tips that can save you a lot of money:
- Be flexible, in a number of ways.
- Find out when's the high, low and shoulder season of your desired location. Flights prices vary accordingly.
- Find out when are the cheapest flights days of the week. Often, flying on a Tuesday will be cheaper than on a Monday or Friday. If you don't follow the normal workweek / weekend schedule, this can save you a lot of money.
- If you're flexible, you can also search for last minutes and promotions. Best example is Ryanair, which is not always cheap, flights can be 6 euros one way, but they mights as well be 70 euros. If it doesn't matter if you have to go in April or November instead of August, then I'd say go for it!
- If you're not flexible but have a certain date in mind, I recommend you use Flight Aggregator sites, which do the search for you. Make sure you use multiple of them, because they do not all display the same price. If you find the cheapest rates, don't forget to double check on the website of the airline itself. My favorites are:
- If you don't mind, fly low-cost airlines. Within Europe I prefer Ryanair, with fares as low as 5 euros, but also WizzAir, Vueling and TuiFly. For transatlantic flights check out TuiFly, Wow Air and Norwegian!
(Pic source: airportcheck.nl)
When I searched the internet for travel tips, all I came across where articles that advise you to use a credit card that saves travel points. But I'm based in Belgium, and in Europe airline credit cards are far less commonly used than in the United States. In my opinion, for European travelers an airline credit card is handy but not a must. I'll tell you why.
If you fly a lot, it can be wise to sign up for the membership program of your airline or airline alliance. Each time you fly, you gain miles. Even more, there are airline credit cards that let you collect miles while shopping. At some point, you'll be able to turn your precious points into a free flight. But the other times when you aren't flying for free, your flights will not be the cheapest you can get. If you're like me, it's the destination that counts. That's why I prefer to fly low cost airlines, like Ryanair, Jetairfly, Easyjet or WizzAir.
I fancy going to Budapest? 25 euros for a return flight. Prague with my girl? No problem, I'll go ahead and book the outbound flight for 15 euros, and I'll wait a bit until there's a cheaper time to book the return flight. Berlin? 10 dollars per flight. Heck, that's cheaper than a domestic train ticket around here! For citytrips like these, hand luggage is sufficient so you don't have to pay extra luggage fees. With other airlines, luggage fee is often included in the more expensive price for the flight, even if you don't make use of it. European flights are rarely longer than 2 hours, the limited service is not too hard to endure.
If you're traveling long distance, which for me personally - and I assume for a lot of you also - happens less often than short distance, I recommend booking way in advance. Flights from Europe to the United States are relatively cheap the moment they become available and the price does not tend to decrease a lot over time. Use flight aggregator sites like Skyscanner to find the cheapest one available for you.
(pic source: bizjournals.com)
Hi!
I’m Ben and I go places. But that’s not enough to get to know me properly, right?
I’m a 26 year old guy based in Belgium. A couple of years ago it hit me: life is short and you got to enjoy it. One thing that gives me great pleasure, is the beauty and diversity of various destinations. I have a job like anyone else, but try to travel as much as possible, whether it is with my girlfriend, family, friends or solo. Since I love telling about the places I visited, I hope to share my travel tips & tricks with you!
But hey, don’t forget the beauty of home. Belgium is a beautiful country and is often overlooked. For visitors who are not from around, maybe this site might help to persuade you to pay this hidden treasure a visit!
Feel free to contact me, I love to chat!
Ben
Business cards are cards bearing business information about a company or individual. They are shared during formal introductions as a convenience and a memory aid. A business card typically includes the giver’s name, company or business affiliation and contact information such as street addresses, telephone number, fax number, e-mail addresses and website.
In traditional typography, a font is a particular size, weight and style of a typeface. Each font was a matched set of metal type, one piece (called a “sort”) for each glyph, and a typeface comprised a range of fonts that shared an overall design.
Should designers be able to code? This topic never seems to die, with its endless blog posts, Twitter discussions and conference talks. But the developer’s involvement in the design process seems to be addressed very little.
If you see graphic design as a process of arranging shapes on a canvas, then you’re only seeing half of what you work with. The negative space of the canvas is just as important as the positive elements that we place on the canvas.
Philosophy of design is the study of assumptions, foundations, and implications of design. The field is defined by an interest in a set of problems, or an interest in central or foundational concerns in design. In addition to these central problems for design as a whole, many philosophers of design consider these problems as they apply to particular disciplines (e.g. philosophy of art).
Every element on a web page exerts a visual force that attracts the eye of the viewer. The greater the force, the more the eye is attracted. These forces also appear to act on other elements, imparting a visual direction to their potential movement and suggesting where you should look next.
2019 flew by so fast but I had time for one last trip to the beautiful region of Lombardy in Italy. We landed in Milan, the capital of the region. But although this city is really beautiful we decided to skip it this time. After all, Lombardy has so much more to offer, it would be a shame not to go outside of the city. In fact, there is a lot to experience in Lombardy, from visiting a violin maker’s workshop to doing a snowshoe hike in the mountains near Gerola Alta. I’m going to tell you all on how to spend a week in Lombardy.
